The Common Core English Language Arts Standards put considerable emphasis on reading for information; it makes sense, in that most people need to do so as adults more often than they need to use those literature-reading skills, right? Professional Development sessions have focused this year on using mentor texts and mini-lessons to teach reading and writing.
BUT... as a special education teacher with a wide spectrum of abilities, multiple grade levels, and a double-size class load, I've struggled to find text my middle schoolers can read and understand. I've tried using the grade-level texts that my colleagues in regular ed are using, but there's a whole lot going on with kids with Learning Disabilities that seems to be left out or ignored in those examples, not to mention the reading level that isn't even in the same zip code as my kids'.
I just started using Fun-Size Academic Writing for Serious Learning with my kids and I'm cautiously optimistic. The essays are written by students at different grade levels, complete with misspellings and grammar gaffs, so it actually seems do-able to my kids. The What Writers Do part of the lesson has a specific focus, an objective for students to learn during the activity. During the Activity, the class analyzes what's good about the writing, the structure, word choices, punctuation, sentence type, literary devices - all those English-y type things teachers seem to love, but within the context of a real kid piece. The What This Writer Does part brings it all together for closure, the Big Picture moment. And when you get done with the activity, there are further suggestions for challenges and extensions. Wow!
The 101 essays aren't all that's in the book, however. The Appendices at the end are quite helpful.
Appendix A: 25 Ways to Use Great Student Essays (hopefully from the ones your students wrote) - some I'd never have thought of myself, such as making a labyrinth on the floor with corners holding examples such as extraordinary vocabulary, striking verbs, etc., and using it as a "walk" for students writing their own essays; or vocal color coding, listening to the first four words in every sentence, in alternating voices.
Appendix B: Text Structures, a wonderful visual analysis of different types of text, such as Comparing Notes: 1.) some people think... 2.) and other people think... 3.) But I think... 4.) What that tells me. Yes, it's template-y, but for a number of learners, it's precisely what they need to be able to become the kind of writer/reader/thinker we're trying to get to.
Appendix C: Lessons by Writing Trait and Level of Difficulty, cross-referenced so that you can find, for instance, Word Choice lessons at basic, intermediate, and/or advanced levels for differentiated instruction.
I wish I'd found this book earlier in the year. I'm glad to have found it at all, though, and will continue with it to see if it's as promising as it seems. If so, I'll come back to update.
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